Extended range variator

ABSTRACT

Conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump price setting variator for extending the conventional three place unit volume price range of the variator to a four place unit volume price range and comprising an auxiliary multiple step cone gear radially offset from and driven by the primary multiple step cone gear and selectively engageable by the conventional highest order range arm to extend its available price range into an additional higher order place, and auxiliary price indicator means operable by the highest order range arm to display the highest two places of an established price within the extended price range.

O Unlted States Patent H 1 in] 3,875,816 Wells Apr. 8, 1975 1 EXTENDED RANGE VARIATOR Primarv E.\'aminerLeonard H. Gerin A Us] Inventor 222" James wens Bkmmfield Armrney, Agent, or firm-Pratzman. Hayes. Kalb &

Chilton [73] Assignee: Veeder Industries, Inc., Hartford Conn. [57] ABSTRACT 22 i 20 97 Conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump price setting variator for extending the conventional [21] Appl' 444037 three place unit volume price range of the variator to a four place unit volume price range and comprising {52] US. Cl. 74/348 auxiliary multiple p Cone gear radially offset 511 lm. Cl. F16h 3/22 from and driven y the P y multiple p cone {58] Field of Search 74/348 gear and Selectively engageable y the conventional highest order range arm to extend its available price 5 References Cited range into an additional higher order place, and auxili- UNITED STATES PATENTS ary price indicator means operable by the highest order range arm to display the highest two places of 1924 x79 4/1940 M- w 74/348 jm pug i3 74,348 an established price within the extended price range. 170M l3 1/1973 Katakuru et al. 74/348 X 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures EXTENDED RANGE VARIATOR BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to conventional mechanical variators of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3.4 I 3,867 of Richard B. Hamlin dated Dec. 3. I968 and entitled VARIATOR and having notable use in fuel dispensing equipment for establishing and posting the unit volume price of gasoline within an available multiple place price range of the variator and more particularly relates to the conversion of such mechanical variators to increase the available price range of the variator.

Because of the increasing cost of gasoline. the price for a gallon of gasoline may now exceed the maximum available three place unit volume price of 499 (eg 49.9 cents per gallon) of conventional limited range variators in the field and in the not too distant future may exceed the maximum available three place unit volume price of 999 (eg 99.9 cents per gallon) of conventional full range variators in the field.

It is therefore a principal aim of the present invention to provide conversion means for modifying conventional mechanical variators for extending their available multiple place unit volume price range.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide new and improved variator conversion means of the type described which does not substantially increase the variator torque load on its driving fuel meter and which permits conversion of existing fuel pump equipment with minimum inconvenience and down time.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide new and improved variator conversion means for extending the available multiple place unit volume price range of a conventional variator and for posting the established price setting of the variator within the extended price range of the variator.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved mechanical variator having an extended multiple place unit volume price range.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved mechanical variator settable to establish a drive ratio within a four place drive ratio range.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of an illustrative application of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a transverse section view. partly broken away and partly in section of a variator modified in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevation view. partly broken away and partly in section of the modified variator; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are reduced partial elevation views. partly broken away and partly in section showing the indicator faces of the modified variator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures. there is shown a mechanical variator or change speed mechanism of the type disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3.48.867 and conventionally used in gasoline dispensing equipment for establishing and posting the unit volume price of the gasoline delivered within a multiple place unit volume price range (e.g.. from 00.0 cents per unit volume to 99.9 cents per unit volume in 1 cent increments).

The variator may be identical to the variator shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,867 excepting as hereinafter describedand therefore will not be totally described in detail herein. Briefly. however, the variator 10 comprises a center shaft 12 adapted for example to be driven by a conventional fuel meter (not shown) of a gasoline dispensing system in accordance with the volume amount of gasoline dispensed. A nine step cone gear or gear stack 14 having gear steps 1-9 with respective numbers of teeth in accordance with the arithmetic progression la; 20. .9a (e.g., 8, 16, 24, 72) is mounted on the center shaft 12 for being driven by the shaft 12. Three range arms or take-off gear assemblies 16, comprising three parallel angularly spaced range arm shafts l8 rotatably mounted on the top and base 22 of the variator frame are provided for selective engagement with the gear steps l-9 of the cone gear l4. Each range arm assembly 16 has a range arm 23 pivotally and slideably mounted on the respective range arm shaft 18 and adapted to be pivotally and axially positioned for selective engagement of its outer range arm idler gear 24 with each of the steps l-9 ol the central cone gear 14. An inner range arm gear 26 in mesh with the idler gear 24 is keyed to the range am shaft 18 for rotating that shaft. A respective range arrr output gear 30-32 affixed to the range arm shaft IE provides an input into a differential summing mecha msm 34 having an output gear 36 rotatably mounted or the variator center shaft 12. The relative gear ratio: throughout the three range arms 23 to the variator out put gear 36, via the range arm output gears 30-32 ant differential summing mechanism 34, are in tlCCOldilllCt with the geometric progression lb. 10b, 10% such tha one of the range arms 23L operates as a lowest placl range arm to set the amount of the lowest place of: three place unit volume price. a second range arm 23 operates as an intermediate place range arm for settin; the amount of the intermediate place of the three plac' unit volume price. and the remaining range arm 23 operates as a highest place range arm for setting th amount of the highest place of the three place unit vol ume price. Thus. for example. with all three range arm in engagement with the lowest and largest gear step (e.g.. having 72 teeth) the established unit volum price is 999 e.g.. 99.9 cents per gallon), and with a three range arms in engagement with the highest an and smallest gear step (e.g., having 8 teeth) the estat lished unit volume price is I ll (e.g.. ll.l cents per ga Ion). Also each range arm 23 may be selectively pos tioned in a lower position out of engagement with th cone gear 14 and with its idler gear 24 in engagemer with a fixed tooth integrally formed on the base 2 such that the range arm output is locked against rot: tion to. in effect, establish a 0 for the respective plat of the multiple place unit volume price. Thus, it can t seen that the three range arms can be selectively sinto engagement with the respective fixed teeth 40 ar the cone gear steps l-9 to establish any unit volun price within a multiple place price range of 000 to 99 The variator output gear 36 therefore provides a output which is adapted to be connected for examp to the conventional fuel pump register cost counters (not shown) for accumulating and registering the cost of the gasoline delivered in accordance with the volume of gasoline delivered and a three place unit volume price established by the settings of the three variator range arms 23. The variator center shaft 12 is also adapted to be connected for example to the conventional fuel pump register volume counters (not shown) for accumulating and registering the volume amount of the gasoline delivered.

Each range arm 23 has a notched generally helical detent rack 46 with ten notches 47 for the l positions of the range arm 23. and the base 22 is formed with a fixed integral detent finger 48 for each range arm for receipt within each of the ten notches 47 of the range arm 46 for accurately positioning the range arm idler gear 24 in angularly and vertically correlated positions for engagement with the fixed lock out tooth 40 and the steps 1-9 of the cone gear.

The variator has a set of three aligned numeral price posting wheels 50-52 of ascending order of signif icance. each bearing a sequence of indicia of 0-9 on each of two opposed sides of the variator 10. Each numeral wheel 50-52 is mechanically connected to a bail 54 of the respective range assembly 16 to be angularly positioned in accordance with the pivotal position and therefore the setting of the respective range arm 23. Also the indicia 0-9 on each numeral wheel are angularly spaced so that each set of numeral wheels provides for posting the three place unit volume price from 000 to 999 established by the range arm settings In accordance with the present invention the variator 10 described above and as more fully disclosed in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,4l3,867, is modified to expand or extend the unit volume price range of the variator. in the shown embodiment from three places to four places and from 999 to [299. and to automatically post the unit volume price (not only through the standard range of 000 through 999 but) through the extended price range.

Pursuant to the present invention an auxiliary integral multiple gear stack 70 is rotatably mounted on an auxiliary shaft 72 extending parallel to and radially offset from the center shaft 12 and mounted on the base 22 and top of the variator frame. The auxiliary gear stack 70 shown in the drawings comprises a three step auxiliary cone gear or gear stack 76 with gear steps 77-79 and with its largest gear 79 at the top and its smallest gear 77 at the bottom and such that the auxiliary cone gear 76 is inverted relative to the primary cone gear 14. The three gear steps 77-79 of the auxiliary cone gear 76 have respective numbers of teeth in accordance with the arithmetic progression 10c, 11c, 12c. The auxiliary gear stack 70 also comprises a lower integral drive gear 80 which is driven by the largest gear step 9 ofthe primary cone gear 14 via an idler gear 82 and whereby the auxiliary gear assembly 70 is rotated by the variator center shaft 12 in the same angulalr direction as the primary cone gear 14.

The idler gear 82 is rotatably mounted on an auxiliary shaft 84 mounted on the variator frame. The idler gear shaft 84 and auxiliary cone gear shaft 72 are angularly positioned relative to the range arm shafts 18 so as not to interfere with the pivotal movement of the range arms 23. Also the axis of the auxiliary cone gear 76 is angularly and radially positioned relative to the axes of the variator center shaft 12 and the highest order range arm 23H so that the highest order range arm 23H is adapted to be pivotally and vertically positioned for selective engagement of its idler gear 24 with each of the auxiliary cone gear steps 77-79 within the available vertical and pivotal limits of the range arm 23H and without interfering with the engagement of the range arm 23H with the primary cone gear steps 1-9 and respective range arm lock-out tooth 40. The auxiliary cone gear 76 may be positioned to provide outward pivotal movement of the range arm into selective engagement with the auxiliary gear steps 77-79 and/or. as shown, to provide inward pivotal movement of the range arm into selective engagement with the gear steps 77-79 after initial pivotal movement of the range arm 23H outwardly of and below the auxiliary cone gear 76.

A suitable auxiliary range arm detenting devicie 86 is provided for selectively locking the range arm 23H in each of its auxiliary positions. The detenting device 86 comprises an arcuate plate 87 having suitable positioned apertures 88-90 for the three additional ranges and a locking pin 91 adapted to be selectively inserted through the apertures 88-90 and into a suitable aperture in the highest order range arm detent rack 46.

The number of teeth n on the auxiliary cone drive gear is equal to a X c (i.e. n=a X c) where a and c are the whole number constants of the arithmetic progressions of the numbers of teeth of the primary and auxiliary cone gear steps l-9 and 77-79 respectively. In the conventional variator a is 8, and although 0 might be any whole number from 1 to 8. it has been found preferable to use an intermediate but relatively low value for b, for example 3, (in which case the auxiliary cone gear steps 77-79 have 30. 33 and 36 teeth respectively and the cone drive gear 80 has 27 teeth) to provide an auxiliary cone gear 76 remaining within the existing peripheral confines of the variator 10 and yet providing auxiliary gear steps 77-79 which have an adequate number of teeth to prevent excessive gear tooth loading and tooth wear.

It can therefore be seen that the auxiliary gear steps 77-79 provide additional range arm drive ratios for the highest order range arm 23H of 10, 11 and I2 relative to the gear ratios l-9 provided by the gear steps l-9 of the primary cone gear 14. Accordingly, the highest order range arm 23H can be selectively set into engagement with each of the auxiliary cone gears 77-79 to expand the available relative gear ratios, and therefore the unit volume prices in a fuel pump installation. beyond 9- to l2--, the values of the lowest two places continuing to be set by the lowest and intermediate price range arms 23L and 231.

An auxiliary price posting mechanism is provided for automatically posting the unit volume price through the extended range from 9-- to 12-. The auxiliary price posting mechanism 100 comprises an auxiliary frame 102 shown mounted on the variator top 20 to extend along one side of the variator and such that it would be clear of the gasoline pump register (not shown) conventionally mounted on the variator 10.

An auxiliary range arm sensor rod or slide 104 having an upper end formed to provide a rack 105 is mounted on the auxiliary frame 102 to extend through a suitable opening in the top 20 parallel to the variator shafts l2. 18, 72. 84. The sensor rod 104 is mounted to be axially shifted upwardly from a lower withdrawn position by the highest order range arm 23H as that range arm is axially shifted upwardly for engagement with the three auxiliary cone gear steps 77-79. A rod actuating plate 106 is secured to the upper end of the detent rack 46 of the range arm 23H for engaging and raising the sensor rod 104 as the range arm 23H is raised for engagement with each auxiliary cone gear step 77-79. The vertical position of the sensor rod 104 is therefore a function of the setting of the range arm. The plate 106 is suitably contoured so that it does not engage the sensor rod 104 when the range arm 23H is in engagement with or is being adjusted into engagement with the primary range gears 1-9 of the center cone gear 14.

A slide 108 is reciprocably mounted on the auxiliary frame 102 for movement generally perpendicular to the parallel price readout planes ofthe opposed sets of price wheels 50-52 of the variator 10. The slide 108 is connected via pinions 109, 110 respectively engaging the rack 105 of the sensor rod 104 and a rack 111 of the slide 108 to be shifted in one direction, to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, as the sensor rod 104 is axially shifted upwardly by the range arm 23H. A tension spring 112 is connected between the frame 102 and slide 108 to return the slide 108 and rod 104 in the opposite directions as the range arm 23H is lowered.

A flat plastic auxiliary indicator band or tape 116 is secured to the slide 108, and the frame 102 is formed with a band guideway 118 for receiving and guiding the band 116. The guideway has a pair of sections 119, 120 in the two opposed price readout planes of the variator and the band 116 is made suitably flexible to permit it to be laterally shifted by the slide 108. The band guideway sections 119, 120 are formed with pairs of windows of 123, 124 and 125, 126 respectively for selectively posting the highest two places of the four place unit volume price as established by the variator setting. The highest place windows 123, 125 are provided in lateral alignment with and to the left of the respective set of price numeral wheels 50-52. The next highest place windows 124, 126 are mounted over the highest place price wheels 52 to permit reading those wheels when the highest order range arm 23H is set into engagement with the steps l-9 of the primary cone gear 14.

A set of a sequence of indicia ofO", l and 2" is provided on the indicator band 116 for cooperation with each next highest place window 124, 126 such that the 0," l and 2 are individually centered in the respective window 124, 126 when the highest place range arm 23H is in operative engagement with the lowest, intermediate and highest auxiliary cone gear steps 77-79 respectively. Also, a set of a sequence of indicia of 0] l," l and l is provided on the indicator band 116 for cooperation with each highest place window 123, 125 such that the 0" (or alternatively merely a blank if desired) is centered in each highest place window 123, 125 when the range arm 23H is in engagement with one of the steps of the primary cone gear 14, and a 1" is centered in each highest place window 123, 125 when the range arm 231-1 is in engagement with each auxiliary cone gear step 77-79.

Alternatively. an auxiliary price posting mechanism may be employed wherein the highest place and next highest place auxiliary price numerals are provided on a pair of auxiliary numerals drums or wheels (not shown) suitably connectd to be rotated by the sensor rod 104, and whereby the next highest place auxiliary price drum (not shown) would be mounted coaxially around the wheel 52 and have a window for reading the highest place price wheel 52 and bear the numerals l and 2" for posting the extended price values for that place. Similarly the highest place auxiliary price drum (not shown) would bear the indicia l and l for posting the price values for that place.

As will be apparent to personsskilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. In a unit volume price variator for a mechanical fuel pump computer settable for establishing the amount of each place of a multiple place unit volume fuel price and having an input adapted to be driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume of fuel delivered, a multiple gear primary gear stack driven by the variator input in one angular direction, a plurality of range arm assemblies for the multiple places respectively having respective range arm shafts with axes radially offset from and parallel to the axis of the primary gear stack and respective range arms shiftable pivotally and axially on the range arms shafts for selective engagement with the gears of the primary gear stack, and combining gearing for combining the range arm outputs to provide relative drive ratios through the range arms in accordance with a geometric progression having a common ratio often, and at least one set of a plurality of price wheels for the multiple places respectively each operably connected to the respective range arm assembly for displaying the amount of the respective place of the unit volume price established by the range arm setting, the improvement wherein the varia tor further comprises a multiple gear auxiliary gear stack rotatably mounted about an axis parallel to and radially offset from the axes of the primary gear stack and highest place range arm shaft for selectively pivotally and axially shifting the highest place range arm into engagement with each auxiliary gear of the auxiliary gear stack, the primary gears of the primary gear stack providing relative drive ratios in accordance with the arithmetic progression 10; 2a; 3a; 9a; where a is a positive whole number, and the auxiliary gears of the auxiliary gear stack providing relative drive ratios in accordance with the arithmetic progression 10b; 11b; where b is a positive whole number, and drive means for driving the auxiliary gears with the variator input in the same angular direction as the primary gears whereby the highest place range arm is engageable with the auxiliary gears to extend the available price range of the variator an additional place.

2. The variator according to claim 1 further comprising auxiliary price posting means operable by the highest place range arm to post the extended unit volume price portion of the price range of the variator.

3. A variator according to claim 2 wherein the auxiliary price posting means comprises a range arm sensor shiftable by the highest place range arm as it is shifted into engagement with the auxiliary gears and in accordance with the selected auxiliary gear, and price display means operable by the shiftable sensor to display said extended unit volume price portion.

4. A variator according to claim 3 wherein the sensor is mounted to be shiftable along an axis generally parallel to the axis of the auxiliary gear stack and to be axially shifted by the highest place range arm as it is axially shifted for engagement with the auxiliary gears.

5. A variator according to claim 4 wherein the axially shiftable sensor is out of engagement with the highest place range arm with the range arm in engagement with the gears of the primary gear stack.

6. A variator according to claim 3 wherein the price display means comprises a shiftable indicia bearing band for displaying said extended unit volume price portion and means interconnecting the band and range arm sensor for shifting the band to display said ex tended unit volume price portion.

7. In a settable multiple ratio variator having input and output rotary members. a rotatable primary gear stack with a plurality of primary gears with different numbers of teeth operatively connected to one of the rotary members, and at least one range arm assembly having a range arm shaft with an axis radially offset from and generally parallel to that of the primary gear stack and a range arm operatively connected to the other rotary member and pivotally and axially shiftable LII on the range arm shaft for selective operative engagement with each of the primary gears for operatively connecting the input and output rotary members; the improvement wherein the variator further comprises a rotatable auxiliary gear stack with a plurality of auxiliary gears with different numbers of teeth operatively connected to said one rotary member and rotatably mounted about an axis parallel to and radially offset from the axes of the primary gear stack and said range arm shaft and for selectively pivotally and axially shifting said range arm into operative engagement with each auxiliary gear of the auxiliary gear stack whereby said range arm is selectively engageable with each auxiliary gear as well as each primary gear to enlarge to available drive ratio range between the rotary input and output members of the variator.

8. A variator according to claim 7 wherein the auxiliary gear stack is operatively connected to said one rotary member to rotate in the same angular direction as the primary gear stack. 

1. In a unit volume price variator for a mechanical fuel pump computer settable for establishing the amount of each place of a multiple place unit volume fuel price and having an input adapted to be driven by a fuel meter in accordance with the volume of fuel delivered, a multiple gear primary gear stack driven by the variator input in one angular direction, a plurality of range arm assemblies for the multiple places respectively having respective range arm shafts with axes radially offset from and parallel to the axis of the primary gear stack and respective range arms shiftable pivotally and axially on the range arms shafts for selective engagement with the gears of the primary gear stack, and combining gearing for combining the range arm outputs to provide relative drive ratios through the range arms in accordance with a geometric progression having a common ratio of ten, and at least one set of a plurality of price wheels for the multiple places respectively each operably connected to the respective range arm assembly for displaying the amount of the respective place of the unit volume price established by the range arm setting, the improvement wherein the variator further comprises a multiple gear auxiliary gear stack rotatably mounted about an axis parallel to and radially offset from the axes of the primary gear stack and highest place range arm shaft for selectively pivotally and axially shifting the highest place range arm into engagement with each auxiliary gear of the auxiliary gear stack, the primary gears of the primary gear stack providing relative drive ratios in accordance with the arithmetic progression 1a; 2a; 3a; . . . 9a; where a is a positive whole number, and the auxiliary gears of the auxiliary gear stack providing relative drive ratios in accordance with the arithmetic progression 10b; 11b; . . . ; where b is a positive whole number, and drive means for driving the auxiliary gears with the variator input in the same angular direction as the primary gears whereby the highest place range arm is engageable with the auxiliary gears to extend the available price range of the variator an additional place.
 2. The variator according to claim 1 further comprising auxiliary price posting means operable by the highest place range arm to post the extended unit volume price portion of the price range of the variator.
 3. A variator according to claim 2 wherein the auxiliary price posting means comprises a range arm sensor shiftable by the highest place range arm as it is shifted into engagement with the auxiliary gears and in accordance with the selected auxiliary gear, and price display means operable by the shiftable sensor to display said extended unit volume price portion.
 4. A variator according to claim 3 wherein the sensor is mounted to be shiftable along an axis generally parallel to the axis of the auxiliary gear stack and to be axially shifted by the highest place range arm as it is axially shifted for engagement with the auxiliary gears.
 5. A variator according to claim 4 wherein the axially shiftable sensor is out of engagement with the highest place range arm with the range arm in engagement with the gears of the primary gear stack.
 6. A variator according to claim 3 wherein the price display means comprises a shiftable indicia bearing band for displaying said extended unit volume price portion and means interconnecting the band and range arm sensor for shifting the band to display said extended unit volume price portion.
 7. In a settable multiple ratio variator having input and output rotary members, a rotatable primary gear stack with a plurality of primary gears with different numbers of teeth operatively connected to one of the rotary members, and at least one range arm assembly having a range arm shaft with an axis radially offset from and generally parallel to that of the primary gear stack and a range arm operatively connected to the other rotary member and pivotally and axially shiftable on the range arm shaft for selective operative engagement with each of the primary gears for operatively connecting the input and output rotary members; the improvement wherein the variator further comprises a rotatable auxiliary gear stack with a plurality of auxiliary gears with different numbers of teeth operatively connected to said one rotary member and rotatably mounted about an axis parallel to and radially offset from the axes of the primary gear stack and said range arm shaft and for selectively pivotally and axially shifting said range arm into operative engagement with each auxiliary gear of the auxiliary gear stack whereby said range arm is selectively engageable with each auxiliary gear as well as each primary gear to enlarge to available drive ratio range between the rotary input and output members of the variator.
 8. A variator according to claim 7 wherein the auxiliary gear stack is operatively connected to said one rotary member to rotate in the same angular direction as the primary gear stack. 